Airship



. A. l. CROWLEY.

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22. 1918- v Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A. J. CROWLEY.

AI RSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.22. l9l8- 1,321,722, v Patnted Nov. 11, 1919.

SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. J. CROWLEY.

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22. I916.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Qvvuenfoi A. 1. CROWLEY;

AIRSHIP. v

' APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2 2. 191s.

Patented Nov. 11,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

" attozwu g ANDREW J. CROWLEY, OF FOLSOM, NEW MEXICO.

.AIBSHIP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

Application filed March 22, 1918. Serial No. 224,035.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW J. CROWLEY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Folsom, in the county of Union and State of NewMexico, have invented new and useful Improvements in Airships, of whichthe following is a specification.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a device capable ofnavigating the air and provided wlth a buoyant member having a carattached thereto, the whole being provided with means whereby the devicemay be made to travel at any desired height.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means within controlof the operator whereby the propelling apparatus may be made to operatein conJunctiOn with the buoyant member, in opposition thereto or partlyin conjunction or partly in opposition with the buoyant member, so thatthe ship may be maintained at any desired height irrespective to theload which it carries. Still another object of the invention is toprovide a buoyant element divided into separate compartments and runwith a gas lighter than the atmosphere, the compartments being normallyinter-communicating but designed to have their connection with any onecompartment shut ofi' in the event that that one compartment becomesdamaged.

Still another object is the provision of means. within the control ofthe operator, whereby he is enabled to maneuver the ship, using all ofthe steering apparatus either individually or in combination Stillanother object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich is comparatively simple in construction, durable and effective inoperation and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other and further objects will appear as the device is set forth indetail in the description which follows.

.To the one form shown in the drawings, the invention is not to berestricted. An actual reduction to practice may suggest certaindesirable changes or alterations and these the right is claimed to make,in so far as they may be compatible-with the spirit of the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved airship.

Fig. 2 is an end view.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view. I Fig. 4 is a transversesectional view.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. v

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view showing the valve mounted one in eachwall dividing {ire buoyant element into separate cham- Fig. 7 is aperspective View of the foot pedals which are operatively connected withthe rudders.

Fig. 8 is a detail longitudinal sectional View of the main shaft towhich the driving motor is connected.

F Fig. 9 is a section on the line 99 of Fig. 10 is a side elevationalview of one of the shields for thep'ropelling wheel, the

operating pinion, therefore, being also shown in this figure.

Fig 11 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation showing oneof the rudders of the machine.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a tank 1 which issubstantially egg shaped and is intended to be made of aluminum or someother metal having low specific gravity. The pointed end of the tank isthe forward end while the flattened end is the rear. The tank 1 isdivided transversely into a plurality of compartments 2 by means of trasverse plate members 3 which are fixed to the sides of the tank in anyacceptable manner.

Each plate 3 carries at approximately. its center a valve 4: which isdesigned to balance the pressure in any two adjacent compartments 2.This valve 4 comprises a hollow cylindrical member 5 which is set in theplate and which is provided at its longitudinal center with a spider 6which is integrally -'attached to it and which has a 1 that whenpressure on both sides of the valve: 4 is equal the two valves 9 remainunseated.

Since each division plate 3 is provided with one of these equalizingvalves 4, all of the valves 9 will remain unseated when the pressure in'all of the compartments 2 is the same. Assuming eachof the severalcompartments 2 to be filled with a quantity of lighter-than-air gaswhich has the same pressure in all of the compartments and that thepressure in one compartment is suddenly changed, such as would be thecase in the event that the tank 1 was punctured at the same point-whereit incloses this particular compartment, then the atmospheric air wouldenter this compartment and close the two valves 9 positioned therein,thus retaining the gas in the two adjacent compartments,

To afford means for filling the tank with the proper kind of gas, pipes11 and 12 are provided, each pipe having nipples 13 which communicatesone with each of the compartments 2. Each of the nipples. 13 is openedor closed by means of the valve 14 positioned therein. The two pipes 11and 12 run inthe direction of the length of the tank 1 and arepositioned on the bottom v thereof below the center of the tanks.

Assumin that the tank is empty and that it is desire to fill it withgas, a suitable air pump is attached to the free end of the pipe -11.and all of its valves 15 opened.- The free end of the pipe 12' havingbeen connected to v the proper amount of gas all of t a suitable sourceof gas supply, all of its valves 14 are opened, when starting the airpump will cause the gas to be drawn into the several compartments totake the place of the air. As soon as the several compartmentsof thetank have been supplied with e valves 14 in both ipes 11 and 12 areclosed and the tank will then contain the right amount and proper kindof gas to give it buoyancy.

Theobject of'providing the diflerent com- 'partments in the tank landthe equalizing valves between the several compartments is to provideagainst danger in case of the tank being punctured at a certain point.The

equalizing valves-will then operate as before described to prevent theescape of gas from any other than the compartment damaged.

A car 15 is swung from the tank 1 by means of suitable supportingmembers 16.

- This car may be made in any desirable formbut preferably is providedwith longitudinal side members 17, 18 and 19, the side members 19 and 18beingat the top and bottom edges of the car respectively and each of themembers 17 being carried mid-way between each pair of members 18 and 19.The side .of the car is attached to these threemembers which obtain oneach side of the car and the front and rear ends of the car are aflixedin any appropriate manner to the ends of these members, the'bottom ofthe car comprising an appropriate flooring attached between .the twobottom members 18.

The forward and rear ends of the car shafts 20 are rotatably mounted,being journaled in suitable bearings formed in the members 17. Theseshafts 20 carry on their ends which project from the sides of the carthe propelling wheels 21. Rotatably mounted directly above the shafts 20there are shafts 22 which are journaled in the members 19 and alsoproject from the sides of the car. Shields 23, which are semi-circularin elevation and of a width slightly greater than the width of thepropelling wheels, are provided. The sides 24 of these shields overliethe sides of the propelling wheels and have suitable eyes formed at apoint concentric with the curved portions of the shields, these eyesloosely engaging the shafts 20 on either side of the wheels.

The shafts 22 carry at their ends the pinions 25, which mesh with teeth26 formed on the circular surface of the shields 23 at the edges adjacent the sides of the car. The pinions 25 are intended as means forshifting the shields 23 around the shafts 20 as a pivot, so that theymay be made to cover the front half, top half, or rear half of thepropelling wheels 21. To limit the shields 23 to an angular movement notmorethan 180 degrees, the projections 26 are formed on the circularportions where a series of teeth 26 terminate. This arrangementprecludes the shields from reaching a position where their teeth will bethrown out of engagement with the teeth of the pinion 25. Within the carthe two shafts 20 are connected together by a chain 27 which engages asprocket 28. Likewise the two shafts 22 are connected together by'achain 29 which enages a sprocket 3O affixed to each of these s afts.

An engine 31 is positioned in the forward end of the car and a similarengine 32 in the rear thereof. Each oftheseengines is so arranged as todrive the shaft 20 which is nearest it. Any of the conventional methodsmay be employed for this purpose but the drawings, show the engines asbeing belted to their respective shafts 20 by means of belts 33, andsuitable clutches 34 being carried on each shaft 20, so that eitherengine may be utilized to drive both shafts, the inactive engine beingcut out by means of the clutch. The object of this arrangement is toprovide two separate and independent means for driving the propellingwheels, so that one may be used in the event of damage to the other, orboth may be used for propelling purposes' in case of any demand forgreat driving power.

The shafts 22 and their attendant pinions 25 are intended to be rotatedby means of the power which rotates the shafts 20. On the forward shaft20 there is mounted two loosely turning; pulleys 35. The shaft 22directly above this shaft carries two-tight pulleys 36 alined with thetwo loose pulleys aforesaid. A twisted belt 37 connects one pulley 35with the pulley 36 directly above it while the straight belt 38 connectsthe other two pulleys 35 and 36. While the two pulleys 35 are mountednormally for free angular movement on the shafts 20,

this mounting is accomplished in such a way as to preclude the movementof the pulleys 35 on the shaft 20 in the direction of its length, plates39 being set in the hubs of the pulleys 35 and slidably engaglng theclrcumferential slots 40 ,formed on the shaft 20. The two pulleys 35 aremounted in spaced relation to each other on the shafts 20 and a thimble41 loosely engaging the shaft is positioned between them. This thimbleis provided with conical ends 42 designed to enter and frictionallyengage conical counterbored portions 43 formed in the hubs of thepulleys 35. The counter-bored portions of the two pulleys face eachother and therefore obtain on either end of the thimble 41 which isdesigned to have slight longitudinal movement so that it mayfrictionally engage either one or the other of the pulleys 35 but notboth at the same time. A shifter fork 44 pivotally mounted on thestandard 45 positioned on the bottom of the car loosely engages thethimble 41 and affords means for shifting it into engagement with one orthe other of the pulleys While this thimble 41 has longitudinal movementon the shaft 20 it is prevented from angular movement thereon bya-feather 46 affixed in the shaft 20.

' they are The shaft 20 is intended always to move in the same directionand it will be observed that the thimble 20 and the two pulleys 35afford means through the instrumentality of the belts 33 and 38 fortransmitting the equivalent of this motion or the reverse thereof to theshaft 22. Thus the two shafts 22 are put in motion so that they willshift the shields 23 but completely oscillate the forward half of thepropelling wheels 21, the top half of the propelling wheels or the rearhalf thereof.

. jAs a means for guiding the airship, rudders 47 are provided. Theserudders are designed to stand vertical and are pivotally mounted betweenthe legs of S-shaped brackets 48 positioned one on either side of thecar at the rear end thereof. These brackets 48 are designedto beattached to the car in any acceptable manner and each has formed at thecenter of its vertical portion a bearing in which a shaft 49 isjournaled, the shaft 49 carrying at one end a 'bevel gear 50 whichmeshes with a double sector 51 carried on the rudder. The two shafts 49extend longitudinally along the side of the car terminating near theforward propelling wheels where supported on suitable bearings 52attachedto the side of the car, bevel gears apart. A bell crank lever 58and passes through suitable bearings formed inopposite sides thereof,exterior to which it receives the bevel gears 55 which mesh with the'bevel gears 53 carried by the two shafts 49. The shaft 55 is so formedas to provide two cranks 56 and 57 which are 180 degrees pivotallyconnects with the crank 56 while a different shaped bell crank lever 59'pivotally connects with the bell crank lever 57. Both these levers attheir free ends are provided with treads 60 in order that they may beoperated by the feet. Both the levers 58 and 59 are pivoted to the topends of the shoulder arms 61 whose lower ends are pivotally attached onthe floor of the car.

It will be observed that the pressure applied on the tread of either ofthe levers 58 will operate to rock the shaft 54 in a direction dependingpressed. The rocking movement imparted to this shaft 54 bv means of theconnections between the shaft and the rudders 47 will on which leverisoperate to swing the rudders to either one side or the other, thusguiding the ship in the direction desired. i

A seat 62 is shown for the use of the operator that when he is occupyingthis seat his two feet may be made to engage the members of the Theshifter lever 44 is then within reach of his right hand while the levers63 which operate the clutches 34 connected with the two enginesrespectively are within reach of his left hand.

Assuming the ship to be moving, the operator can, by means of theshifter lever 44, operate the shafts 22 so that the shields 23 maybemade to shroud any desired portion of the propelling wheels 21. If theshields shroud the propelling wheels on the back, the latter moving inthe direction of the arrow X will aid the tank 1 in lifting the car. Ifthey shroud the propelling wheels on the front, the movement of thewheels will tend to lower the car, since they churn the air in thisposition tending to force the car down. If the shields are in a positionso that they shroud the top of the wheels, the turning movement of thelatter will tend to move the car forward. It will be observed that theshields can be shifted to positions intermediate to those described, inwhich case the propelling wheels will operate to move the car forwardand upward or forward or downward, depending upon the relative positionsof the shields.

' Longitudinal bars 64 are carried by the levers 58 and 59respectively.-

car and are positioned on the-outside of the propelling wheels 21, theends of the shaft 20 rotatably connecting with these bars which aresuitably held in place by braces 65 projecting into the sides of the carat its center and at its ends. Stifi'ened wings 66 are appropriatelyconnected with the tank 1 and extend out over the propelling wheels 21having their lower edges appropriately connected to the bars 64aforesaid. These wings aid the tank in keeping the car in the airoffering a very considerable resistance to any tendency of the car tosuddenly fall.

The invention having been described, what is claimed as new and usefulis:

1. In an airship, a buoyant tank, a car swung from the buoyant tank,propelling Wheels for the car, driving mechanism for the propellingwheels, means conjoined with the propelling whereby they may be shroudedon the forward half, the rear half or the upper half, and connectionsbetween the driving -mechanism and the sad means whereby the latter maybe made to perform any of the aforesaid functions as desired.

2.- In an airship, a buoyanttank, a car swung from. the buoyant tank,propelling wheels at the forward and rear and right and left hand sidesof the car, a shield for each propelling wheel, means whereby theseveral wheels are interconnected, and devices conjoined with theshields and having connection with the aforesaid means to permit theshields to shroud the forward half, the rear half, or the upper half ofthe propelling wheels.

3. In an airship, a buoyant tank, a car swung from the buoyant tankpropelling wheels for the car positioned at the forward and rear andright and left hand sides thereof, shafts journaled in the car at itsforward and ,rear ends each carrying two of the propelling wheels,connection between the two shafts, a shield for each propelling wheel,mechanism conjoined with each shield to operate the latter so as toshroud various portions of the propelling wheels, means connecting saidmechanism with one of-the aforesaid shafts, and a driving motor for eachshaft having such connections therewith that either or both motors maybe used to drive the propelling wheels.

4. In an airship, a buoyant tank, a car swung from the buoyant tank,transverse shafts journaled in the sides of the car near the forward andrear ends thereof, propelling wheels carried on each end of each shaft,a connection between the two shafts, a pivotally mounted semi-circularshield for each propeller wheel, all of said shields having teeth formedon their circular surfaces, second shafts positioned transversely in thecar near the forward and rear ends thereof, pinions carried at the endsof the said second shafts and meshing with the teeth formed on theshields, a connection between the two second shafts, means connectingthe forward first named shaft and the forward second named shaft wherebythe direction of rotation of said second shafts maybe in accord with oropposed to the rotation of first named shafts, and means for driving thefirst named shafts.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ANDREW J. CROWLEY.

